"Frustrated" fourth seed Simona Halep said she was struggling with a knee injury as she fell at the first hurdle for the second year in a row at the Australian Open on Monday.
The out-of-sorts Romanian, who called for medical attention after losing the first set, went down 6-3, 6-1 to American Shelby Rogers on day one in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena.
Halep was playing the first match of the tournament on the centre court, and she became the first major casualty.
It was a case of deja vu for the right-hander, who was sent packing at the same stage last year by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai.
Halep is one of the fastest movers on court but she was missing her usual zip against the 24-year-old American, who reached the French Open quarter-finals last year.
"I had pain at my knee," she said, adding that she first felt the tendon problem in October at the WTA Finals in Singapore.
"For me, in the second set, was difficult to move anymore, but she deserved to win. She was aggressive, and she hit very strong."
Asked about crashing out in the first round once again, she replied: "I'm a bit frustrated, but you cannot change much.
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